


Take Me Up, Cast Me Away.

by orchideously



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-11 06:00:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15308988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orchideously/pseuds/orchideously
Summary: Arthurian legend holds strong.





	Take Me Up, Cast Me Away.

James paced within his tent. He could hear screaming; metal against metal, but it seemed far away now.  _ Any minute. Remus will not fail me.  _ He could not, not now, when it was so important.  _ He will not fail Lily.  _ Just thinking of her made his heart ache in his chest. Knowing how scared she must be. Not knowing what Goyle could be doing to her to punish her for James’ actions. It was unbearable. 

He jolted from his reverie when he heard the soft whisper of fabric slipping across fabric. He went for his sword as he turned; relieved to find it was only Remus, who fell to one knee.

“Rise Remus, you know better,” he growled and the man stood. James walked to his friend and clasped his shoulders. “Tell me, did you find him?”

The man nodded, stepping aside when James released him and revealing a figure in a black cloak. The hood was raised and he could see only shadow within. The hairs on the back of his neck stood, he hadn’t noticed the man, hadn’t felt his presence when he entered. He swallowed heavily.

“So, you are the sorcerer my friend had spoken of,” he murmured, “The one who he believes could help me.” James was proud to hear no pleading note in his voice, no hint of his desperation.

“I do not deal in gifts your highness,” the man said, “I deal in favors. I can help you retrieve your Lily, but my interference comes with a price.” His accent sounded just slightly off, nasally, each  _ s _ drawn out. James’ eyes flicked to Remus, but the man was looking towards the entrance to the tent, his brow creased in worry. Sirius was out there, likely slaughtering anyone in his way with a smile. 

“Remus,” he said and the man’s attention snapped back to his King guiltily. James smiled. “Go, find Sirius.” The Knight wavered for only a moment, and then was gone, leaving James alone with the sorcerer.

“Well then,  _ Merlin _ ,” he dragged out the title, the word strange and foreign on his tongue, “Name your price. I shall decide if it is equal to what I am asking of you.” The sorcerer bowed but when he spoke again, James could have sworn he heard a smile in his tone.

“I can take you to your Lady now, under the cover of magic. She will receive you happily and you will lie together. From this union she will beget you a son.” He paused and James found he could not move a muscle. He could barely breathe. He would have a son, he and  _ Lily _ ’s son. The thought was too sweet, too immensely precious, he found himself nearly shying away from it. His life, wrought with battle and hardship, with a new fight everyday to keep his crown and defend his people, was too full of blood and metal to be gifted with something so pure.  _ A son with Lily. _

“Anything,” he heard himself say, voice cracking. His carefully controlled desire broke like a wall under trebuchet fire, flowing from him like a river. “I will give you anything,  _ please _ .” He was shaking, he realized, his knees threatening to buckle. This time, he was sure he heard the smile.

“Then I will grant you your desire, King James.” The man said softly. “Your Black Knight is fighting his way to Lord Goyle as we speak. I will take you to your Lady, and then I shall turn the tide for him in his fight. Come with me.” 

The sorcerer pulled from his robe a wooden stick. He whispered foreign words as he traced a pattern through the air. James felt a tingle rush across his skin, and when he looked down his body was no longer visible. 

“What in seven hells-,” he began but Merlin waved a hand to silence him.

“I will need you to trust me your highness, all will end well on this night if you trust me.” James ground his teeth together for a moment. And then he relented.

“Very well, I will trust you, Merlin.” He made for the tent’s opening. “Let us make haste.” 

*****

  
  


There was no guard outside the door, no one there to protect her. James felt indignation and anger flood him.  _ How could they leave such a treasure with no protection?  _ He pushed open the door to the Lady’s chamber and felt that peculiar tingle again as he did. He was visible once more. 

There, sitting in a chair by the window, was Lily. She was dressed in a gown of green, its edges trimmed with gold. Her hair, the color of fire, cascaded down her back. Her face was turned up in the moonlight and in the pale glow her eyes shone like emeralds. He staggered, feeling clumsy and weighted in the presence of a woman so clearly celestial. For she could not be a mere mortal like him, she could not be of this world.

At the sound he made she rose quickly, raising the dagger she had hidden with a snarl. Her hackles raised and she looked wild, he loved her only more. When she saw him the dagger fell from her hand and she rushed to him. He held his arms open for an embrace and instead was shocked when she struck his face.

“You foolhardy, idiotic,  _ arrogant _ man!” Lily screamed. Her voice was hoarse and when he looked to her again he noticed the tear tracks on her face. “What were you thinking? Do you have no counsel? Is there not anyone who will tell you no? You spoilt child!” 

He grinned down at her. “Only you,” he said softly. Her anger crumbled and she slammed into him. James wrapped his arms around her and inhaled, taking in her heather scent. “I could not bear it, I had to come. I wrote you again and again, and assumed the worst when I received no answer. I thought he- that he might have-,” he stopped suddenly. 

“He did not touch me, though he tried. As if I would  _ let _ him lay a hand on me.” She sounded nearly indignant at the suggestion and he chuckled. She pulled away to look into his eyes searchingly. “Is he…” He nodded and her body shuddered with relief. “Thank the Gods.” 

“My lily-flower,” he murmured and kissed her forehead softly. “You are to be my Queen. I will have none but you, my love, my  _ soul _ .”

He nearly expected another slap for being a sentimental fool. Instead he was rewarded to her arms wrapped around his neck, her soft lips covering his own. The King sighed into her mouth. His men cheered loudly outside. The night was his.

*****

James walked towards his chambers, glad to be out of the heavy armor he had worn all day. The air blowing through the castle was chilly and he took in the sweet smell of Camelot.  _ His kingdom _ . It smelled like apples and grass and the many fires that burned in the hearths of the city below. 

His son would be there soon. Not even a month more and he would be able to hold him in his arms. Lily was adored by every person in the castle. His tricky Queen, making the world fall in love with her, one chambermaid and errand boy at a time. She would teach their child her kindness and charm, her grace. He would teach the boy the way of running their land. He would teach him chivalry and honor, what family and duty meant. They would love him so, their little Harry.

His family was what made the rest of his life worth something. They eased his mind after each council meeting reporting unrest and fighting inching nearer to home. They sent out men each week, many of them had not returned. Drastic action would be needed soon.

“Sickle for your thoughts, your highness?” 

James gasped and leapt nearly a foot in the air. Only the familiar sound of the voice stopped him from drawing his sword. “ _ Merlin _ ,” he growled. “To what do I owe the honor of your presence?” 

The man was leaning against the wall of the corridor. His hood was down in a rare instance of vulnerability. His white-blond hair and grey eyes were shocking in the torchlight. He looked like one of the Fae from James’ childhood storybooks. Angular and so pale he was almost translucent. He was pushing a century if legend was to be believed, but he didn’t look a day older than the King himself. The sorcerer’s lips curled into a smirk.

“I have come to collect,” he said simply. The air  _ whooshed _ out of James’ lungs.

“Collect,” he repeated breathlessly. 

“Yes.” Merlin pushed off the wall. They were of equal height, but the sorcerer always managed to take up more space. James had encountered him four times now and each was unnerving. Now this mysterious wizard wanted something from him, the thought did not settle well. “I am calling my favor.”

James took a deep breath and then straightened.  _ Honor and valor.  _ “Alright, I told you anything, and so it shall be. Whatever you want, you may ask it of me.” The sorcerer met his gaze. It frightened James sometimes, how alike to Lily this strange man seemed to be at moments. As if when your eyes met theirs, they were looking far deeper than you could fathom. Merlin nodded.

“Very well, then. When your son is born in a month’s time, I ask that you show me the same trust you did on the night that brought you and the Queen together. I would have the boy turned over to me when he is still an infant. I will take him to a Lord I know. There, the boy will learn many things he could not within these castle walls.” James’ heart nearly stopped.  _ No _ , was his first thought.  _ Anything but Harry _ , was the next. This man could surely not mean to take his son from him, when he was still so young, so fragile. A voice in the back of his head whispered,  _ you said anything James. Not anything ‘but’. _ “The trials he encounters will shape him. He will one day be the greatest King our land has ever seen.”

He narrowed his eyes at the sorcerer. He did not look smug or taunting. He, in fact, looked frighteningly earnest. James willed his tense muscles to relax.

“A-alright.” His voice sounded shaky to his own ears and he winced. “I told you… I said anything and… alright.” 

Merlin nodded. “I will come for the boy when it is time.”

*****

He held Lily against him, listening to Harry’s cries from his cot. He could see the light of fire coming from the windows. A loud crash echoed and he knew they had breached the walls. 

“James you have to go,” Lily sobbed stepping away from him and wiping her face. Her eyes were fierce and glowing. “You have to help your men; they will be lost without you.” 

The thought of leaving her and their son here, without him to protect them, felt like a physical blow. He didn’t have the strength, he could not.

“Go James! We will be here when you come back.” She kissed him fiercely and he wound his hand in her hair, pulling her closer, basking in what could be his final moments with her. She pushed him away and ran to the cot, grabbing Harry and silencing his cries. She brought the small child to him and he took the boy from her arms. Cradling him against his chest and kissing the dark curls that graced his beautiful head. 

“I love you Harry,” he whispered. “Never forget that you are so loved.” 

He let Lily take Harry from him and he kissed her forehead as well. “I love you my lily-flower.”

“I know,” she whispered. It gave him the courage he needed. He turned from them, knowing that if he didn’t now, he never would. He ran through the door and Remus and Sirius, who had stood guard at the door, followed. 

“We will meet them in the courtyard.” He told them and he unsheathed his sword. They raced down several flights of stairs. He burst through the doors to the courtyard and they were set upon immediately. 

He ducked and wove, cutting down those in his way, looking for a leader of some sort.  _ Cut off the head of the serpent, the body shall follow.  _ A ball of flame flew from over the wall and he rolled away from it, jarring his shoulder. When he stood up again he had lost Remus and Sirius. Nothing could be heard over the clang of metal and the whistling of arrows. 

His home was burning. 

A horse thudded past him and he caught sight of the man atop it.  _ Crabbe. _ Perhaps it was vengeance. Perhaps it was greed. Either way, the man needed to die. He raced after him, stopping only to pull a sword from the body of a man on the ground. Rearing back he hurled it as hard as he could, it caught the horse in the flank and sent its rider flying. 

He had almost reached the man on the ground when suddenly, he could not breathe. He tried to draw in air and felt a rattle in his chest. Coughing, he fell to his knees, the copper tang of blood on his tongue. His hands groped his chest, they found an arrow. He snapped it and tried to stand. He could not. The world was turning and turning, spinning around him in a blur of red and orange and black. He shut his eyes to try to focus, tried to think of his son. 

_ ‘We will be here when you come back.’ _

“ _ Lily, I’m sorry,”  _ he whispered. 

The darkness consumed. 

  
*****  
  


A lone rider atop horseback rode through the forest surrounding the Kingdom of Camelot, an infant tucked in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Looking for a beta reader, please email me: paxtonhill22@gmail.com


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